Rani Knits

Color my world.

2012-01-24T21:44:00.000-06:00

See this? This is what my days have been looking like lately.

Gray. Dull. Colorless.

So my new endeavor to learn crochet has been an opportunity to bring a little pizazz to this quiet, bleak scenery. Let me give you a little show.

The little tam I was working on was sitting on my desk - like a little squid-like blob and making me feel inferior and lazy. Just block it and sew in the ends. That's it! And true to all of your friendly comments, blocking made all the difference. She is, indeed, looking and acting like a proper tam.

I'll try to post pics of someone actually wearing the darn thing. It's cute. Here's the pattern, if you're interested. It's called "Autumn in Garrison" by Kate Gagnon Osborn.

And as I mentioned, I thought I'd try crocheting my way through Attic 24. I thought I'd start with Lucy's Birdie Decorations. I started crocheting a circle and suddenly found myself with six of them and counting. So far, so fun. I'll show you my pretty little birds when they're all done.

And finally. After a particularly aggravating confirmation class in which I agreed to "assist" the teacher with a gaggle of 7th grade boys (one of them being my own), I was presented with these lovely flowers from one of the parents. That, and a big glass of red wine with a bow on it on my arrival back home made me reconsider quitting and telling all those 7th grade boys where to stick their . . . well. . . you get the idea. . . . Thanks C & L & K. I'll give it another go. But these gray hairs are multiplying . . . Pray for me. (wink wink).

I could eat these flowers up, if I could. Aren't they divine?

I'll be in the attic if you need me.

2012-01-19T16:26:00.001-06:00

So that's it. Some people cook their way through Julia Childs or try to climb the highest peaks.

I'm going to crochet my way through Attic 24. It's a charming place to visit. She has a dazzling eye for color and creativity and so I think I'm going to toss aside my Addi Turbos (for now - I heard that collective gasp) and take up those little aluminum hooks and place them on my nightstand and have a go at it.

I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

Seriously Infected

2012-01-17T14:14:00.003-06:00

The Crochet mess of '06

I am suffering from a severe case of the Crochet. It struck hard and I think this time, I'm going to take a while to recover. I'm not sure if I'll ever be the same. There was the Crochet Outbreak in '06 in which I dabbled with an acrylic grab bag of odd, 1980 colors. It landed on the donation pile.

Then I found this bedspread through Ravelry and was obsessed with making my own version. This was created by the fabulous LizK of Crossroad Knits.


Afghan and Afghan photo by LizK - pattern by Attic 24

The pattern is from Attic 24 which I mentioned in my last post. So off I went, purchasing yarn and starting my king size afghan. After doing some calculations, I realized I'd need about 15 times more yarn and that just wasn't in the budget. I made a baby blanket instead. The pattern (Neat Ripple Pattern by Attic24) and tutorial are so well written. If you've ever had trouble with crochet before, try it again and try this blanket. You won't be sorry.

Today, I am in the full throws of the Crochet. I just emptied my knitting bin which included the almost finished, unblocked tam and filled the basket up with colorful cotton yarn that was on sale at Michael's for $1 a skein.

I also saw this book on crochet edging and then some beads and maybe some new hooks, oh and a bag of buttons.

There was quite a bit of yarn that I never used for my giant king sized afghan, so I rebooted the old granny square blanket with the new colors. Not sure what I think of it, but with each new row/color, I feel differently about it. The photo stinks but I'm short on time since technically I'm not supposed to be blogging (or shopping for that matter). I am organizing my laundry room. . . or supposed to be.

I think I'll just curl up on the couch here and settle in for a cozy winter of The Crochet. May as well stop fighting it.

Mid-Winter Hello!

2012-01-15T19:50:00.000-06:00

That fiberlicious feeling has been slowly returning. Must be the cold weather which is now finally arriving in Minnesota. We were snowed in by December last winter. This year, winter really hasn't started yet and it's mid January. That's a brave little icefisher out there on that ice. There are strange open bits of water out there. No thanks. I'll stay put right here.

This little elf of a girl is sporting what is supposed to be a tam. I was over there on Guinifer's blog checking out her pretty little tams and decided I would try my hand at it. The pattern is Autumn in Garrison by Kate Gagnon Osborn. I think it MUST be blocked. . . and yeah, bound off. Maybe then I will look like it's supposed to. And maybe I should have checked my gauge before I started.

Finally, I have a big bag of cotton yarn and I'm not afraid to use it - nor am I afraid of the Ben Franklin tin crochet needle from my grandma's stash. I might make this into a throw or just get as far as a pillow cover. It's a zippy little project - completely mindless and quick. If you are even slightly inspired to try your hand at crochet or to dust off those needles, you must check out this blog: Attic 24. It's amazing. Just scroll down and dig into all that color.

Not your relaxation vacation. . .

2012-01-11T12:44:00.003-06:00

I awould be referring to a Disney Cruise. As part of my dad's retirement festivities which seem to have gone on for a few years now, my folks graciously took us all on a whirlwind cruise. My sisters, their husbands and all the little children packed onto this enormous and gorgeous ship and set off for the Bahamas. Don't hate me.

My sister and I put together this little graphic based on the old advertisement for It's A Small World. I made them into door magnets and hung them on all our stateroom doors.

Yeah. There might have been a few Disney chicks hanging around the place.

I did bring some knitting but Disney keeps you running your tail off from sun up to sun down. I'll post more pics later.

But the best part was this place. It's as delicious as it looks.

This is a clip that I goofed when I exported it - so ignore the 'blog' and the background music. It's the sound of the ship horns blasting at midday. If you go, you'll have a wonderful time, but stay out of the hot tub. (ick - we're talking 25 kids in there).

Haahahahahaaalarious.

2011-12-27T21:28:00.000-06:00

I can't find the original source of this photo. But I had to post it anyway because it's so friggin' hilarious! Seriously. It's just a big old sweater. "Her" face is in one sleeve and her feet in another and then her cool drink is resting in the turtle neck. HAAAAAhahahaaaaaaaaa. I would be so pissed off if I caught one of my kids wearing their sweaters like this.

ps. found it on pinterest and then traced it to here. Not sure where it came from before that. . .

Happy Boxing Day.

2011-12-26T15:49:00.000-06:00

We went with the Pom. I think I should have made a bigger one, but I'm onto the next hat and so this little hat is an official FO. The hat I'm currently knitting looks like a glob, so no pics this time. I thought I'd share some photos of our crazy family Christmas, instead.

Here's a lovely picture of my middle kid. We like to call him Lumpy because he is the kid who doesn't walk down stairs, but slides down the railing or tries to see how many steps he can jump down - hence the many bumps and bruises and, well, lumps.

Lumpy is sporting a plate of hrísgrjónagrautur, though my mother-in-law calls it möndlugrautur. Don't even try to pronounce them unless you happen to be Icelandic, and even then, you may have trouble. This is an Icelandic (and probably Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish) tradition. Each guest is served a plate of this rice dessert with berry sauce. One blanched almond is hidden in one of the dishes. We sit around teasing and joking about who might have the almond. Sister-in-law Anna claims to not have found an almond in 41 years. If you happen to find the almond, you are supposed to keep it to yourself until everyone has finished and the proper amount of badgering and teasing has concluded. This year, I'm happy to announce, Anna frænka (aunt) won the almond and was awarded a large box of chocolates which was promptly wrenched from her arms and passed around the table as a consolation price to the rest of us losers. The verdict is still out on whether or not it was a fair win since her husband is lactose intolerant and Anna scored two dishes of rice pudding.

My Knitting-Kniece is kneeling here showing us the perfectly knitted delicious milk-chocolate colored socks she knit for her pappa. 12 years old and knitting socks. Wow.

Merry Christmas with our favorite canine cousin. That is not a toy. It's a real dog.

Finally, I'm showing off a bit here. My Christmas steamed cranberry puddings. I'm not sure about its history, but I'm told the recipe is my great Aunt Helen's and she got it from her mother and so on. These were probably made with prunes back in Scotland and then changed to cranberries here in the US. I thought the recipe was one of a kind, but it turns out that it's not a big fat deal after all. You can google it and have the recipe at your fingertips.

They were delicious- thanks for asking.

To Pom or not to Pom?

2011-12-15T22:59:00.001-06:00

Yes. That is the question. And that is me actually knitting in front of the fire. I just finished the hat and I'm trying to decide whether or not to add a pom pom and now I think I've decided to knit an entirely new hat because I have a different idea of how this should look and well . . . . KNITTING MOJO - HERE I COME. WHOO! I'm back, ladies! (and a few gentlemen, maybe).

Tomorrow I am going to grab a cup of joe and catch up on all of my old bloggy girlfriends. I miss you all! You feel like old friends. Let's get our merry knitting game on, shall we?

Knitting Elf at Work

2011-12-14T17:26:00.000-06:00

Sneaking some Christmas knitting during a piano lesson. Clever, huh? As long as he doesn't turn around I should be fine.

Are you knitting for the holidays?

Merry days to you!

Go Gophers Go

2011-11-25T13:03:00.001-06:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for all my bloggy friends who are understanding of my weird lack of blog/knitting mojo. It's creeping back, though. After making all the tiny little hospital hats, I cast on for a big girl hat in honor of the Minnesota Gopher hockey teams. It's going to my wonderful neighbors who are avid Gopher fans and who also drive my boys to school every day so I can get to work on time.

Big news. My daughter (9) asked me yesterday if I would teach her to knit. I've asked her so many times I can't count anymore and she's never been interested. She found some pretty leftover Claudia Hand Painted yarn. That was the first good sign. Good taste. Must get that from me. heh.

I cast on and showed her what to do and after about 2 hours of solid focus, she had completed about 1 1/2" of the most perfect knitting I've ever seen. She actually got angry with me when I told her she couldn't knit at the dinner table. A girl after my own heart. She wore a headlamp from Amma's house so she could knit in the car on the way home last night.

This morning, a tiny little girl with messy hair and bad breath crawled into my bed with her stuffed animal and her knitting. After showing her that she has to always start with the yarn on her right, she was off again. I am the proudest mama in the world.

So what does any proud knitting mama do? Opened her a Ravelry account and entered her first project! She has been on Ravelry constantly checking for messages (from her cousin) and sending me comments on my page. What a nice Thanksgiving treat.

Happy Holidays to all!

Oprah likes me!

2011-10-23T14:42:00.000-06:00

That might be a a stretch. She liked my comment. I've been "attending" Oprah's lifeclass online and each day she posts a question and you can post your own answer. Out of 2600 people, my quote was one of 17 chosen as her favorites! hee hee hee hee. I'm giggling like a little girl.

Mine is in blue on the left side there. heee heee heeeee.

More time to knit. . .owls.

2011-10-16T09:40:00.002-06:00

I was just thinking to myself how lucky I am that football season is over. You know - little guy football. Now we can relax in the evenings because now we only have . . . (drum roll please) . . . piano, hockey, archery club (not even kidding), choir practice, confirmation, service club (before school - doesn't count), learning lab, after-school Spanish, ballet, theater class and rehearsals. But don't feel bad for me - heh heh - and stop rolling your eyes. And don't feel bad for my kids. Except for piano - this is self-imposed schedule and spread over three of them, so it's not too bad.

This may sound like a daunting schedule, but really - all this translates into loads of book-on-cd-driving time-reading-knitting-in-parking-lot time. See how I spin that tune? I'm the gangsta of the mini-van moms. Didn't I tell you I drive a mini-van? Watch me work it, ladies.

Photo taken from Retro Lemon Ravelry Page (i hope she isn't mad!)

This crafty lady on Retro Lemon Studio designed these little nuggets of cuteness which will now be using up some more of my leftover yarn stash. She is kindly sharing the pattern on her Ravelry pattern page. Here is the Ravelry link to OWL PUFFS.

Hello stranger.

2011-10-08T07:58:00.000-06:00

Holy crap. That was a long hiatus. I can hardly remember my last post, except, there it is. . . right under this one. And oh, there were those socks I was knitting. I think I started them in June. Wow. It's October and I've managed to get down to the last toe.

I wish I had a great story for you - I was abducted by a pack of wild skunk-apes and kept hostage with no Internet connection. Ah, no. It was really much more mundane. Just busy. That's all. Instead of knitting my usual stuff, I attacked those dusty yarn bins and began knitting little tiny hats for teeny tiny babies. We're talking babies with heads the size of eggs. Back on a yucky topic: for babies born too soon that usually don't make it. Sometimes these little babies are SO small that even preemie clothes and hats are too big.

As you can see from the pics, time is flying past and it's already fall. I took most of these pictures a few days ago and already, the place is looking different. Mother Nature visited yesterday with wind that stripped several of our trees down to bare bones.

dippity-doo-dog

And that little puppy still won't sit still, but she's turning out to be one hell of a retriever. I will be needing your best wild duck recipes, too. I'm afraid to cook them. They look like bloody livers in my freezer and it's freaking me out.

Next week. Finished socks, I swear. And I WILL be back next week. I miss you all!!!

Mille Lacs Mojo

2011-07-17T19:30:00.000-06:00

I haven't touched a knitting needle in over two months. This has kept me up at night, thinking of the three (or more) large plastic bins full of yarn and projects getting dusty in my damp, dank basement.

Then my niece showed up . . . the one who has taken up the calling, remember her? She said, "Auntie, can you show me how to knit a pair of socks." And she produced a few (sorry Liv) limp and dusty skeins of lumpy old wool and said, "I brought my own yarn." Oh, you sweet thing.

So a quick trip to the Local Yarn Shop (LYS) for some Addi Turbos and a quick dip into one of those aforementioned bins* and THIS is what she whipped up in a matter of hours.

Literally. Hours. She is knitting faster than I am! An eleven year old! I am so proud of her. She chose a nice Collinette Jitterbug sock yarn in the colorway: Popsicle. Isn't it perfect for summer and for an amazing niece?

Today she turned her first heel. I am a very proud Auntie.

*Side note: when you open one of my yarn bins, there is an ethereal light that shines forth and if you listen closely, you may even hear angels singing the hallelujah chorus. I'm just sayin'.

And while Liv was busy looking for the perfect yarn in my bin, I noticed this neglected yarn called "Icehouse" and thought how UN-icehouse it was, but how perfectly "lakey".

(Here is a picture of Minnesota ice houses - note the lack of, um . . . color). This picture was taken in February of Lake Mille Lacs (say it with me "mill - LAX").

However, I spent a beautiful summer day fishing on Mille Lacs with some friends and family yesterday and these were, indeed, the colors of the day. The photos don't quite show it off, but the day was heavenly blue and deep shady green.

So this is my Mille Lacs sock using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi - Colorway: Icehouse.

The pattern is Nutkin by Beth LaPensee which is a favorite since it is quick and easy to memorize. So thanks to Liv, my knitting mojo has returned! Thanks, Liv. I'm back.

I'm still here, folks.

2011-07-02T07:20:00.000-06:00

Hi friends,

Just me, here - Rani. I am going to be up front and tell you that I haven't touched my knitting in over a month. A MONTH. It's just too pretty outside. And warm. And, well, I just don't feel like knitting.

We've been in Montana for some rest and relaxation. I didn't even bring my knitting. !GASP!

Aaaaaaaah. Summer. Hope you're enjoying yours, too.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary . . .

2011-06-10T18:52:00.001-06:00

. . . how does your garden grow? Sigh. Do you know what I've been doing lately? Spending time in my garden. Taking pictures. Breathing the warm air. Last week the air smelled like apple blossoms. Really, it did.

I took my camera out today and took a close look at things growing there. I caught this tiny creature nibbling on a yellow flower.

Don't worry. I let him go on a big hosta plant. That will take him all summer to devour. Good luck, little buddy.

I've waited so long for this. I'm going to savor every minute.

Miracle

2011-06-05T15:22:00.002-06:00

Some of you may remember when I posted about my sister losing her baby later in her pregnancy. This happened a year ago - May. I am so pleased to tell you the great news. That same sister, after a nail-biting pregnancy, gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He is home safe and sound with mommy, daddy and big sister.

My hubby meeting Little Buddy for the first time.

Where do you knit?

2011-05-20T17:19:00.000-06:00

Where do you find the time and place to knit? Here are a few of mine:

Cabin time.

After-school-sports-waiting-in-the parking-lot time.

Piano lesson time.

TV Time.

R & R

2011-05-15T19:48:00.001-06:00

Hoooo, boy. I just enjoyed a much needed little breaky-poo Up North. This was Stella's first trip in a boat, on a dock and in wolf country. Within an hour, she pulled a leg bone of a deer up onto the porch with meat still on it (shiver me timbers), presumably from a recent wolf kill. This morning, we heard footsteps of a large (wolf-sized) creature trot past the back of the cabin just out of our sight. We'd best keep that puppy close or she'll become a snack for the local wolf pack. Sends shivers down the spine, doesn't it? Last summer, we had wolf scat right in front of the cabin. But I never hear or see them. Hmm.

Anyhow. I finished my beloved Coraline!!

This is what I look like when I'm blowing off steam and trying to relax...

She is a beaut. A tad small. But if I can't stand the fit, I have a nice sister out west who lives in sweaters and happens to be smaller than I am.


Yeah, it still needs buttons...

Puppy Problem Solving

I also started a kit that's been in my knitting cupboard for a few years now. It's a pattern that was written in Norwegian and translated by Arnhild Hillesland. The pattern is called Ladies Mitts. I figured that it's putzy enough for me that I should start them now if I want them in time for next winter.

For my dog lovin' friends.

2011-05-11T22:09:00.000-06:00

Knitting? No. Crafting? Yes.

2011-05-10T21:18:00.000-06:00

Today is the one year anniversary of the birth of my sister's still born baby girl, Olive Stephanie.
While it was horrible and sad, there is great joy here, too. My kid sister is due in three weeks to deliver a baby boy. Just one year later!

So while we twiddle our thumbs in anticipation of the birth, we spent the weekend making these gorgeous baby wraps to donate to the hospital specifically for (yucky word ahead) fetal demise. Isn't that just a horrible couple of words!? Yuck.

We made several sizes from premie to full-term.

Boy warps and girl wraps.

We cut 12, 14 and 18 inch squares out of cotton flannel - washed and ironed. . .

Fold the middle piece of fabric in half, wrong sides touching.

Lay folded piece on top of second piece (right sides touching).

Add third square over the top of both (right side down).

Straight stitch starting at bottom third of pocket and continue all the way around leaving about three inches open so you can flip the piece right-side out.

Top stitch the entire blanket once you've flipped it right side out and given it a good iron.

Attach ribbon to the back.

Fold and tie.

If you are in the mood to try your own hand - please do! There is a great need for these items. Preemie clothes and hats are often too tricky to use with these fragile bodies. When we dropped off our twenty wraps, the nurses were so happy and appreciative. This was exactly what they needed, which made us all feel so good. They told us that they have about 150 - 200 cases of fetal death/still birth every year. Can you imagine?

Straight Up.

2011-04-28T21:43:00.001-06:00

Hey. Did you forget about me? I have not forgotten about all of you, but I have been a huge lazy ass when it comes to my blog. I have begun a monogamous relationship that has been taking up any and every meager bit of spare time I have. Her name (yes, it's a her and it's really not that racy) is Coraline and she is a warm and nifty little thing. Well, take a look for yourself.

Almost done!

The pattern was written by Ysolda Teague. I'm using a basic Knit Picks Swish DK in persimmon and a puny size 3 needle. It has been a turbulent relationship but I think we've come to an understanding. She looks good with a nice pair of jeans.

We're still wearing wool sweaters and jeans in Minnesota but today I wore a short sleeve shirt underneath. Sadly, I even wore my floor to ceiling down quilted ugly brown coat to work today. Tomorrow is supposed to be a miraculous 58 degrees. I'm skeptical. We have an outdoor field trip scheduled and I'll be damned if I will spend another two minutes standing around watching my own breath freeze in the air.

Spring has been keeping us busy. The garden is completely untouched. Too cold. Now it's too wet. Wah wah wah.

Stella has grown into a pretty little lady. She is quite the swimmer and retrieves like a mo-fo. Seriously. We've been smacking tennis balls into the woods and after zigzagging back and forth for 5 minutes, she comes back with the darn thing.

Easter came and went. It was lovely.

We rented a little teeny tiny cabin with the kiddos and had a sweet little vacation in the woods. Wait. Don't we live in the woods already? I guess we do. Hmmm. I'll have to think about that a bit.

Fishing for minnows in a hidden creek.

Floating rubber duckies down the creek.

I forgot the graham crackers. No worries. We made due.

Mr. Darling was the master roaster.

While the rest of the family played games in the lamp light, I snuggled into my top bunk (I had to wrestle my kid for it) and knit on with my headlamp. You all would have been so proud of me.

Bob, Chuck Norris and Flower - bad ass rubber duckies

Hello, everybody.

2011-04-15T19:54:00.004-06:00

Happy April 15th. Or in Minnesota, you can also say, "Happy Snow Day!"

Just stopping by to tell you that it's snowing tonight. Right now, actually. As I tuck my sorry butt into bed.

Not complaining. Just letting you all know.

Cheers!

Signs of Spring (and knitting)

2011-04-04T07:42:00.003-06:00

Minnesota's winter is hanging on with sharp claws, but I think she's beginning to lose her grip. Take a looksy at this.

That's my garden and until just recently it was covered in snow so deep that I was certain that this was evidence of another ice age. Under this pile of mud are tiny asparagus babies, weeds and flowers - rubbing their eyes and about to stretch. I have taken to sitting with a cup of coffee in my window and just staring at it. Dirt. Snowless dirt. Frozen dirt, but still . . . a gardener's Turkish Delight.

And another thing. I am going to finish this damn sweater. My lovely and talented bloggy friend Harpa just cast on for a man's sweater. Knowing her, and I think I do just a tiny bit, she'll finish that man-sweater faster than green grass goes through a goose. So I sort of sassed off and told her that I would be finishing my sweater before hers and now I think I need to start knitting. Here it is thus far:

The "Swamp Thing" socks are really more ball-of-yarn, than sock. They'll remain neglected until the sweater is off the needles and blocked.

There are a few lame snowflakes in the air today. I'm not going to fret. There has been far too much whining and complaining on this blog lately. Yesterday, I grabbed the camera and took the family (except for Lumpy who is down with flu or something) to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It's a hop, skip and a jump from my front door.

There were birds . . .

and would you believe - flowers?

Mr. Darling has also been busy boiling down sap from our maples to make our year supply of syrup.

The supply never makes it past the summer. It's that good. There are also friends and family that often leave our house with a jar for themselves. Mmmmmmmaple syrup. Thanks, Mr. D.

Filler

2011-04-02T15:36:00.001-06:00

I will be the first to admit that I've been a totally lame blogger lately. Whining and whinging. No knitting. And using Youtube videos to take up space.

BUT THIS IS SOOOOO . . . . . it's SOOOOOOO . . .
well. You decide. I think most of you will laugh so hard you'll cry. I did.

Endless

2011-04-01T21:06:00.000-06:00

I was just beginning to think that I should put down the wool sweater and start something more summery. I mean, spring is just around the corner. How many more days of cold and snow and dark and gray can there possibly be? There is a finite number - the earth keeps moving in its axis and we eventually tip towards the sun, right? Something like that.

Insert snowstorm.

So I'll keep fidgeting with this Knit Picks wool and my nice little cardigan sweater. The truth is that I'm in a sort of knitting purgatory - and endless parade of stockinette stitch that has no end in sight. The sweater has taken on a metaphoric meaning - winter is endless. Knitting 114 rows of stockinette on US 4 . . . is endless. But the spring will come and it will be spectacular. My sweater will be, too.

You don't need to speak Icelandic. . .

2011-03-26T22:44:00.000-06:00

. . . to appreciate the wooden spoon trick.

For my little Knitting Kniece!

2011-03-25T15:34:00.000-06:00

My niece is learning to knit using her first pair of Addi Turbos - swoosh! So this is a personal little video tutorial for her since she lives a bit to far for me to come and show her myself. Hope it helps, L!!

There. That's better.

2011-03-22T16:11:00.000-06:00

Color. I had to update the old blog to reflect my yearning for spring. But winter hangs on and the reality is just outside my window. Here, have a look.

So what's a gal to do. How about buying herself a hum-dinger of a coat with flowers the color of ripe summer raspberries. Here's a shot of me getting the mail in my happy spring coat. Ignore the winter cap.

Don't you just love it! And speaking of spring, I tossed my sweater aside to cast on for a pair of socks for Lunker who is a gigantic 12 year old who is often mistaken for Big Foot. He wears the same size shoe as his old man. Anyway, it's another pair using Knit Picks Felice self-striping sport. The colorway is "Ecology" but going with the size of this kid's feet, I'm calling it "Swamp Thing". The colors are mud and spring greens. Perfect.

Alas, the guilt over my unfortunately-colored sweater was nagging at me from its little bag in the corner. I'm onto the sleeves, so that should be somewhat motivating, right? Well, yes. And it is an interesting construction. What you see is a little eye-cord moving onto the sleeve which is increased quickly at the cuff to full width. Hmmm. I like it.

Color! I NEED COLOR!!!

2011-03-13T08:59:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody! Guess what. It's snowing!

I was born and raised in Minnesota. My mother was born and raised in Minnesota. I've always been taught not to complain about where we live because we're lucky to enjoy four unique seasons. The summer is so much more appetizing when you've gone through almost 6 months of cold and gray. The winters are refreshing and cozy after the hazy, humid, bug-infested months of summer.

But . . .

I can't take it anymore. There is only so much of THIS that a person can take.

OR this

and this.

The lack of sunshine and fresh air have taken their toll. On top of the gloom, February was the month of funerals and flu. The one-two combo really took the wind from our sails. For the first time, I am seriously considering moving into a trailer in Florida somewhere down near the Keys. Nothing fancy. Just green and warm, where the sun shines strong and bright. There is a sadness that has descended over me. Maybe it's a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I have hardly touched my knitting and the blog? Well. It's speaks for itself. I haven't posted or visited my friends' blogs in weeks.

I had been working on Ysolda's Coraline sweater. Cute pattern, yucky color. What was I thinking? It's a weird copper penny color. There are days when I like it and days when I'm not sure I'd ever wear it, but darn it anyway, I'm going to finish. Today, I will be picking it up again for the first time in weeks.

I had a dream last night that I drove past our local garden shop and the place was fully stocked with flowers, tomato plants, geraniums, bags of soil - oh the joy! Oh the agony. I am not going to feel sorry for myself any more. Time to pull myself up by the bootstraps and move forward. March forth into spring. It never fails to come - no matter how long it takes. Dust off my needles. Crack open the seed catalogs.

Buy some tulips, Rani.

Play with the puppy (isn't she getting big?).

And keep on knitting.

Snowy Days.

2011-02-23T15:58:00.002-06:00

Last weekend, a warm breeze blew in from the south and Minnesota had a nice thaw-out. Look at that - water on the lake.

Don't let that kid you, though. There is still at least 2 feet of solid ice under that water. This early taste of spring was the calm before, yet another, Minnesota blizzard. Gobs of snow and howling winds kept us home for most of two days.

A little snow and cold didn't stop the boys from grabbing their airsoft rifles and heading out the door to play 'army'.

I stayed safe and warm inside trying to clean out my yarn container that is an entire den. I took pictures, but I'm really too embarrassed to show you that in some areas of my life, I am - a hoarder.

I also managed to finally put an end to these forever toe-up stockings. These are Belle's "Lagoona Blue" socks in Knit Picks Felici; colorway "Marine Life" on a US 1.5 or 2.5 mm needles. Snore. Took forever.

They turned out pretty darn cute, though. She ever wore them to school today, sweet thing.

Hibernation

Happy Shoveling!

March Sweater Madness anyone?

2011-02-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

If you're itching to knit a sweater, The Sweet Sheep shop is itching to start the nest March Sweater Madness. Check it out.

My Super Model

2011-02-18T18:49:00.000-06:00

Hi folks,

My darling little niece is modeling the Baby Cable Yoke Sweater that I knit for her and gave for Christmas. (here is the Ravelry link)

Isn't she yummy? And look at the fabulous owl hat on her head! I wish I could claim that little ditty as one of my own creations, but my crochet skills aren't quite there . . . yet.

There is a better picture of the hat for those of you who are dusting off your crochet needles. If you figure this pattern out, would you ever share it with me?

Sissy also sent me an iPhone photo of the legwarmers in action. She promises to send better pics, but I think you can see that I made them a tad too long. She still sports them well, in any case.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to download some Flashdance songs and clean my kitchen.

Love to all!

Fun for me.

2011-02-15T00:16:00.001-06:00

What a weekend. I spent a true Minnesota weekend at a good old hockey tournament. I know some of you are smirking - Rani? Rani of Raniknits? Have you become a full-fledged hockey mom?

Yes.

Yes I have. And I'm having a marvelous time.

Remember the puff balls from hell? I managed (barely) to finish enough for the moms.

The ladies shakin' their pompoms.

Here we have a shot of beautiful Lake Mille Lacs (pronounced Mill - ACKS). And we usually don't say "lake" Mille Lacs. Just Mille Lacs, thank you very much. It's a famous fishing lake and pretty damn big, too.

my god, why do we live here?

That's an ice road heading out to the hot spots or temporary fishing "villages" that spring up each winter. You can also use the ice roads for shortcuts across the lake - we can do this on Minnetonka, too if you've got 4-wheel drive and nerves of steel.

Next we have a water tower in the shape of a fishing bobber.

And finally, a very jubilant bunch of hockey players showing off their 5th place consolation trophy to an equally proud and pandamonious crowd of about 11 parents.

Good times, good times.

My kid is the cute one. You know - number 11.

See Grandma? We won! WE WON!

An eventful game in which Lunker is sent to the penalty box for the first time; a right of passage, so to speak, in the game of hockey.

I know I know. You're thinking, "Hey, fun for you. Boring for me." So here's the finish. Airing out the stinking hockey bag and you-know-who crawls in for a nice afternoon nap.

She's sort of camouflaged.

Of course, there is the knitting. Always the knitting. The second knee-high is languishing with a high fever and a severe case of Second Sock Syndrome (did Yarn Harlot coin that phrase?). But my sweet little sweater is moving along.

Happy February. The Chickadees are singing their spring song! WHIIPEEEEE!

Puff Ball Hell

2011-02-11T10:35:00.000-06:00

Somewhere between philanthropy and insanity, I decided to make and donate 15 pairs of "spirit fingers" to my son's hockey team moms. If you don't know what spirit fingers are, here's the scoop. You take cheapo gloves and attach pom poms to the ends of the finger in your school colors. Yeah me. Fun idea.

The Concrete-Sequential person in me would have calculated yardage and pom pom amounts before deciding to take on the task.

The Abstract-Random person in me, although creative and fun, began pumping out puff balls at an astonishing rate. Then there was the oops-I-ran-out-of-yarn moment, another trip to the nearest craft store and four more skeins of yarn. I was at 70 puffs. Should be close. Let's do the math. . .

15 pair = 30 gloves

30 x 5 = 150 puff balls needed

Crap.

Better news, I finished ONE knee up sock.

The puppy ate my Addi Turbo knitting needles (I know - my fault) and tore up the yarn balls. I had to get out the good old wooden double points to finish, but finish I did. I only have about an inch on the second sock to finish, but it's taken a back seat to pom pom mania.

Oh, and she chewed up my phone charger, too.

Have a great weekend!!

Oh, hey there.

2011-02-03T13:48:00.001-06:00

Turkeys by the feeder. Kind of ugly.

I have been awfully quiet on the blogosphere lately. Like all of us, life gets busy and one has to prioritize. Of course, this little lady takes the cake.

If anyone out there is thinking about having a baby . . . or another one. Borrow a puppy for a few days. You'll get over it.

All is forgiven. Stella was innocent; she didn't leave the bathroom door open. Of course she'd shred an entire roll of toilet paper. Wouldn't you?

Momma loves you.

And there has been a wee bit of knitting. I finished my niece's leg warmers. They might be too tight and too long, but they're done and so am I.

Knit Picks Felici is soft, but I'm worried a bit about slouchy stretch happenin'. Love the colors, though.

The other Knit Picks Felici is still being processed into the longest pair of stockings on the planet. If I don't get them done soon, they will no longer fit my daughter. And yes, I have been knitting two socks on one pair of addi turbo needles (really, is there any other way?) that have been, by the way, slightly chewed on by Stella Blue and tend to snag the yarn here and there.

I have also been baking. See?

I read The Help and in it, the author mentions southern caramel cake several times. I have not rested until I found a version I like. Here is the link. The cake is a bit eggy, so I might find a different yellow cake recipe, but the frosting is TO DIE FOR.

Finally, my middle kid, who started skating about a year and a half ago, scored his first goal. I was poised with the camera throughout the game and managed to ruin the shot because I was screaming and yelling like an idiot. That blurry white guy is my kid. (and yes Guinifer, that's EP he scored against mwoo ha ha haaaaaa. But did Tonka beat EP? Oh, well. That's not really important and I can't remember anyway ;-)

Kickin' and Chillin'

2011-01-23T10:45:00.000-06:00

Hey folks. I'm kickin' and chillin' with my girl, here. Stella Blue Lulu. She's a little mutt my husband picked up from a farmer up the road. When we picked out Leo, we picked the cute little bundle that pushed his way through the litter and began chewing and pulling on our shoelaces and pants. Charming. Turns out, that's a sign of dominance, which isn't a bad thing - you just have to know what you're doing with that kind of dog.

So this time, Mr. Darling watched as all the puppies scurried under a tractor and hid. The farmer rolled a tennis ball and all the pups came out to play except for one. That's the one he brought home.

shy baby girl

She was timid and shy, but we were careful about her first few days of introduction. It paid off. She is a bumbling, healthy, active little pup.

Chasing the boys.

And since this is a knitting blog, I will include a little section here called,

What's On The Needles

These are unintentional knee highs. I started them toe-up and I just kept knitting and knitting. The yarn is Knit Picks Felici in Marine Life.

This lump is the beginning of my Coraline sweater by Ysolda Teague. I'm using Knit Picks Swish DK in Persimmon.

This is a pair of legwarmers for my little baby niece in Utah. Knit Picks Felici Sport in Garden Gate.

STAY WARM!

Nama's Knitting

2011-01-15T10:07:00.000-06:00

Since the dog's away - the turkeys will play.

Wild turkeys on the driveway.

Hi folks,

I am, as the Yarn Harlot puts it, in the 'black hole' of my Coraline sweater. I knit and knit and knit and seem to go nowhere. But I do appreciate that it's mindless and can be done while watching The Dog Whisperer, which I've also been obsessing over.

So today, I thought I share a little number that my mother made last summer. She is Namaknits on Ravelry, but she rarely, if ever, visits her page. She needs to toot her own horn more often. hint hint, mom. By the way, I added the shawl to her project page for her.

Anyway, I give you Nama's Adagio Shawl with color change modifications.

She bought the pattern at our local LYS - Coldwater Collaborative.

My daughter, giving me advice at bedtime about how to remember things in the morning:

"Sometimes I write a note and stick it to my face, so when I wake up, I find the note stuck to my face so I don’t forget what I wanted to remember." ~ Belle

I'm still here!

2011-01-11T12:52:00.000-06:00

My gosh. I can't possibly thank you all enough for being THE COOLEST BLOGGY PEEPS EVER! You took time from your day to send your condolences and it really made a difference. My husband could not believe the outpouring of concern from not just our friends and families but from my "odd bloggy habit".

We're moving onward. We even visited the pound a couple of times but it's still a bit painful. AND you won't believe this, but a week after Leo kicked the bucket, our ancient cat decided it was her time to go, too. Can you imagine this scenario: I'm at the front desk of the veterinarian, squaring up our account when out comes the vet saying, "I'm so sorry about your cat." and at the exact moment a tech comes out and says, "Here are Leo's ashes." Gulp. They just handed over a brand new box of tissues and said, "Here, take it."

We can't believe we just paid out A LOT of cash for two pets we no longer have.

Isn't nice to have a cute little knitting project to work on when you're feeling sorry for yourself? I choose to cast on for sweater number two. The little ditty is
Coraline by Ysolda Teague
I'm making mine in a rusty colored wool (Knit Picks Swish).

I think my blog looks so boring without photos, but I can't look at that puppy face anymore and so neither should you. The new year brings new blessing and hope and, achem, socks and sweaters. So moving on . . .

Little Buddy

2011-01-02T21:56:00.000-06:00

There is no way to put this. No way to tell you how difficult this is for us but we lost our dog Leo just before new years. He was hit and killed by a car near our home. We recognize that it's a dog - that no human lives were lost; that my children are all safe; that the driver (who stopped) was not physically hurt, my husband who lifted him from the roadside and brought him home to us was not physically harmed either. But the pain and emptiness we feel is devastating regardless.

I am wiping tears as I type this and know that I mean it from the very bottom of my heart when I tell you that I appreciate all of your hilarious comments and advice over the last three years regarding this rascal of a dog. Guinifer, I can't thank you enough for helping us find his breeder. Hold on - crying again. . .

Thanks to my family and friends for understanding and for loving and missing him, too.

2010-12-27T11:20:00.000-06:00

Sigh. Have you ever had that feeling after a sauna or a hot bath? It's that relaxed, warm, pleasant feeling. That's how I feel on this cheerful December morning as I look back at the last few days.
Except for a few backseat fights on the way to grandmother's house, the whole family and extended family put their best feet forward and made an effort to enjoy each other and to enjoy all the merriment that goes hand in hand with the holidays.

I hardly touched my knitting, but did manage to finish my owl sweater. I really like it, but the back puckers in weird way and the bottom ribbed hem is too tight and too short. It tends to highlight my bubble butt. Next time, I'd probably continue the ribbing for at least two inches. But the color is scrumptious and the sweater does indeed fit like a hug.

Here she is:

See how happy I am in my first (finished) grown up sweater. Hooray for me!

Specs:
OWLS by Kate Davies
Yarn: Drops Eskimo light blue
Needles: US 11

Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a very happy new year!!

2010-12-23T16:13:00.001-06:00

Russell Stover box of chocolates $12

8 x 8 pan of homemade fudge $ 6

Handpicked chocolate truffles flown in from Utah $ 10

Emergency Vet bill $521.00

Having Leo back home in time for Christmas . . .

priceless

I don't make this stuff up.

Ps. Things have been busy here at Chateau DeBris. I miss checking your blogs but I'll be back soon. Love and joy to all!

The Blizzard of 2010

2010-12-11T16:12:00.002-06:00

I'm sitting in the middle of a fantastic blizzard. The stuff from my childhood. Not only did it appear to snow about 10 inches, but the wind is howling around the house.

A nice morning for a cup of coffee (with cream) and a fire in the fireplace and then to top it all off, Christmas knitting.

I am up to the yoke on my "Owls" sweater (scroll down the link).

We ventured out in the car and barely made it to grandma's house. It was nice to see that the city I live in has their priorities correct. Notice the Caribou Coffee in the background?

We made it home and let out the dog. Look at Mr. Meat Head challenging the weather.

Here he is brought back down to size by getting himself stuck into a snow drift. Heh. heh. Did I help. Oh hell no. I took pictures.

Don't worry. He got himself out. Then brushed himself off and went on his merry way.

Big Dope

We'll be digging out in the morning. I hope its like Little House on the Prairie. Remember that episode when they woke up to find they had to crawl out an upstairs window to get out because the snow had drifted so high? Oh what a story we would tell.

Do you know this dog?

2010-12-05T23:21:00.001-06:00

If you've ever owned a labrador, or any dog for that matter, then you know what this face means.

Let me give you a clue.

There is a previously full, empty bread bag on the floor.

'burp'

Mmmm hmmmm.

Labs and loaves of bread.

A love affair of the worst kind.

I wish I was this cool . . .

2010-12-03T23:50:00.000-06:00

I don't know who put this photo poster together, but it's funny and it made me smile. Hope it makes you smile, too.

Yarn Sale

2010-11-30T18:39:00.001-06:00

I forgot to mention where the sale is taking place.

Brainerd, MN has a little yarn shop called Between Friends Yarn. The shop is closing and the owner is hoping to relocate to Florida. With the wind howling outside the shop door, I could hardly blame her. The shop was empty accept for the very back wall. When I asked if I could take a picture, she politely asked that I not capture the store in its state of deconstruction. Apparently, the shop was a delightful, warm haven for fiber fiends. She wants it to be remembered that way.

Of course, one cannot pass by a yarn shop EVER. And 60% off would make it a crime not to stop and shop. A lot of the yarn was picked over but I found a few gems. I have been wanting to make traditional monkey socks (red/gray) for kids, so there are three skeins of something or other. And a pretty pink skein for my Belle. Not sure if it will be socks or cuffs or . . . oh the skies the limit. And a few items like row counters and coil-less safety pins (so the yarn doesn't get snagged in those little coils).

On a different note: We had a parent donate some yarn to the school, so I took a wee bit and began making mittens and hats for the annual winter clothing collection.

It's chilly, so I'm off to build a fire and maybe, just maybe, whip a little hat to go with the mittens. Oh, and I should probably finish up on these arms here.

Does this need any narrative?

2010-11-30T14:51:00.000-06:00

The planets must be aligned.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T17:00:00.000-06:00

The weather outside is really frightful.

The sun might be out, but don't let it fool you. The temperatures are below 0 degrees F. Whooooooooooo.

But we're up north somewhere,

that just happens to be a skip, hop and a jump from an indoor swimming pool with heated water. Mmmmmmmm.
Time to throw the kids in the pool and get some knittin' done.

Enjoy the holiday! There are so many reasons to be thankful.

Oh God, I'm off the wagon.

2010-11-14T08:56:00.000-06:00

I spent about an hour last night looking through Ravelry and Ysolda's website for sweater patterns.

"Why, Rani? Have you finished your pile of U.F.O.s as promised?"

No. No I haven't. I have a terrible Ravelry hangover this morning to prove it. And kick me when I'm down - we ran out of coffee-cream this morning, so I'm looking at my almost-carmel-colored cup of coffee this morning, cursing myself and wishing I had just turned the damn computer off last night when my half-asleep husband suggested it. My Ravelry queue is no up to 203 but there are some darling little sweaters in there if anyone is interested.

And there is more bad news. I was working on a beautiful shawl pattern by Anne Hanson "Luciole". We were having a nice evening in a snowstorm watching "The Princess Bride". I fudged a couple of rows and because I had a boldness that came out of a large bottle of beer, I thought I could just keep going without a lifeline and make up for my mistakes by adding an extra stitch here and k2tog there. I'm too embarrassed to admit what happened next. But I will tell you that I have a nicely rewound ball of pretty, raspberry colored yarn sitting next to my chair and an empty pair of needles. Oh, and that empty beer bottle as well. No matter. The color was all wrong for the pattern. It kept nagging at me.

The good news. There is one less project I have to finish before Christmas. Don't fret Luciole - I will return and I will knit thee. In the meantime, I must get back on the wagon and continue . . . slow and steady. Next stop: socks - plain old k2, p2 socks. No bottle of beer can mess that up. . . right?

Slow and Steady Finishes the Race

2010-11-12T14:02:00.004-06:00

When I was "training" for the Kortelopet ski-a-thon-for-crazy-people race last year, "slow and steady" was my mantra. It's not the most inspiring or exciting mantra, but for someone who was looking forward to simply being able to finish the race, it worked fine for me. And surprisingly, they had not yet cleaned up the finish line when I eventually crossed over and dropped in the snow.

The next Kortelopet is a few months away but I won't start to think about it until after Christmas. Instead, I am chanting the mantra over my pile of ufo's that are having a face-off with me at this exact moment. I'm maintaining mental control by not spending hours on Ravelry constantly adding patterns to my queue. I'm practicing the art of self-control and discipline by refusing to cast on one more project until I clear out the knitting runway. There are too many projects on the tarmac and chaos is threatening to break out at any moment. 197 patterns in my queue should keep me busy for some time, but for now, I will plug away at the current pile - slow and steady. Slow and steady.

FO: Baby Cable Yoke Jacket by Cotton and Cloud

I used Cascade 220 Paints Hand Dyed "9843 Paradise Beach"
Details on Ravelry

This is for my sister's baby. Well, she's not exactly a baby. I mean, she's walking and da-daing and ma-maing and all of that. But since my babies are starting to wear shoes that my shoes can fit into, she is still a baby to me. I'll be seeing her in a few weeks and I'll get a good photo shoot with my (sister's) baby wearing the darn thing. For the meantime, there you go. Pretty cute, huh?

The first time I saw this jacket was over at Picperfic's blog. She whipped out two of these suckers in no time at all. She said - and I quote, "... a very quick little knit . . ." but somehow, I managed to take eight months to finish mine.

Sigh. It feels so good to have an empty needle around the house again.

Meet Stekkjarstaur (aka Gimpy)

2010-11-09T17:23:00.001-06:00

True story. Iceland has various "Yule Lads" that visit on the days leading up to Christmas. Strange little men, whose mother is thought to live in a cave and feast on naughty little Icelandic children. If she doesn't manage to snag a wee one, her grisly black cat stalks the country side in search of poorly dressed children.

Nowadays, the tradition has had some sweetener added to it. You can find little "Jolasveinar" cards, figures and ornaments all over the place (if you know where to look).

OR, why not knit your own. That was my big fat idea. Knit 13 varied Yule Lads using "Yuletide Gnomes" by Alan Dart. That was one year ago. I finally finished Gimpy. Stay tuned next November 2011 for "Gully Imp" (aka Giljagaur). So in 2023, I should have the complete set.

Strange. But true.

ps. The boys are wrestling with the dog while I'm in my blog-trance. Until I heard one yell, "He's got my sock!" To which I screech, "It had better not be hand knit!" I gotta go! I have some arse to kick.

Ingredients in my son's 12th store-bought Birthday Cake

2010-10-30T19:59:00.001-06:00

"1/4 sheet cake decorated buttercream iced"

Sugar, enriched wheat flour bleached (wheat, nicain, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid) water, whole egg, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed & palm oil, citric acid, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, invert sugar, salt, dextrose, sodium bicarbonate, acidid sodium aluminu phosphate with sulfate, food starch-modified (corn, tapioca), nonfat milk, cocoa with alkali, wheat starch, monoglycerides, propylene glycol - THAT IS A FORM OF ANTIFREEZE!!! mono esters, sodium sterdyl lactylate, calcium silicate, corn starch-modified, whey, baking powder, wheat gluten, natural & artificial flavor, soy lecithin, sodium acid, pyrophosphate, polysorbate 60 & 80, monocalcium phosphate, cellulose arabic xanthan guar tragacanth carrageenan carbohydrate & locust bean gum, sorbitantristearate, chocolate liquor, sodum caseinate, soyprotein, caramel color, calcium propionate, rice flour, liquid whitener, high fructose corn syrup, microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose gum, carrageenan, confectioners glaze, sorbitol, canola & coconut oil, hpko, triethyl citrate, glycerine, polyglycerol esters, algin, titamnium dioxide, e461, methocel, alcohol, carnuauba was, dextrin, potassium sorbate & sodium benzoate preservative to maintain freshness potassium sorbate, phosphoric acid, methyl & propyl paraben, sillicon, sodium hexametaphosphate, carmine, red 3, 5, 40, yellow 5, 6, blue 1, 2, blue 1 lake, black lake

My cake recipe (which I'm kicking myself for not making....)

eggs
flour
butter
cane sugar
baking powder
salt
vanilla

Buttercream frosting
butter
powdered sugar
vanilla
cream

I am so mad that I paid money for that damn cake. GROSS.
Next post - KNITTING, I swear.

Achem. Notice anything?

2010-10-28T17:08:00.003-06:00

From the Winter 2010 Athleta catalog

Do you see what's on her head? Have a closer gander...

And for a nifty $20.00, it's yours. Or you can grab your knitting needles and some leftover yarn from your stash and make your own nifty "Petra Headband" - or as the rest of the knitting world calls it:
THE ORIGINAL CALORIMETRY by Kathryn Schoendorf. A free pattern, I might add.

And now let's take a left turn from that moment of product-plagerism to another astonishing advertisement in a popular clothing catalog. I found it while browsing for knitting inspiration. I am not usually very critical of fashion, since I am known for both my informal and formal sweatpants. (You can buy cashmere and velvet sweatpants. Really, you can.) But this picture, which was carefully planned and coordinated by paid fashion professionals, made me snort part of my fifth cup of coffee out of my nose.

Is is just me or is this outfit (and beard) (and hair) all wrong? ALL WRONG.

And now I'm off to dig out some old stash yarn for my next Calorimetry; thank you Kathryn!

Happy Trails

2010-10-24T09:07:00.000-06:00

My mom surprised my daughter and I with a short trip out west to visit my sister and her family. We hopped on a plane and soon found ourselves in the middle of the mountains of Utah.

First on my agenda . . . well, after saying hello to my sister and her family . . . was to find the local knitting shop. The good news: it was a spinning shop called Rumpelstiltskin. The bad news: it had closed. The good news: there is a new knit shop. The bad news: it won't open until November.

So close.

There we were, wandering through this charming little town and I saw this in the window of a Hallmark store.

I went on a covert mission to find out more. I snapped these photos with my super-spy camera (and by the way, one should always turn your mute on and turn your flash off when sneaking indoor photos or you'll find yourself in a very awkward situation).

This would be a lot of stockinette stitch, but if you're in the mood for mindless knitting, or if your lucky enough to have a knitting machine - there you go. A funky wrap. I'll be spending some time on Ravelry trying to find this pattern.

The real enjoyment came from simply spending time together with my family. Belle found plenty of things to amuse her, including herself. My niece was a ball of wonder and joy.

My sister and her husband were gracious and hospitable, feeding us well and touring the town in their shiny new Subaru with all of us in tow.

We passed this house and I had to go back to get a photo. This was typical of the town. Chickens in the backyard, sheep and horses right there in suburbia. The homes were tidy but always decorated and inviting. And look at the corn! This was a gorgeous garden that inspired me to try corn again next year. I think I just need to plant more, move into a Victorian home and hire a gardener.

I couldn't put my finger on what was so appealing about this little town. This house above, was fairly typical of many homes there. Big and little, humble or grand - the yards were clean - the front porch always tidy with chairs and tables. Beautiful, functional gardens were alongside sheep pastures and chicken yards. Pumpkins lined the steps of many porches, one for each member of the family. One porch had 14 pumpkins . . . but we are in Mormon country, so I was told that this is not unusual.

And my Knitting? Yup. I've been working feverishly on a gorgeous little sweater for my little niece that should have been done two weeks ago. It's almost done. I'll post pictures soon.

Calorimetry

2010-10-12T13:08:00.001-06:00

I took a break from the regular car knitting schedule - yes, I knit when I drive. It's the only way I can sneak in my daily fiber supplement. When I come to a complete stop at a stoplight, I'll very cautiously knit a few stitches here and there, being careful not to let the driver next to me see my crime.

Anyway, my kiddo here, wanted a funky hat, so I whipped out a Calorimetry with some fabu yarn that I won from Karoline Knits (thanks Karoline!).

I actually told this little punk to just act normal so I could get a decent picture. That makes about as much sense as me asking the birds not to sing or the rain to fall up instead of down. So that's the photo shoot.

Specs on Ravelry.

Beat the Birthday

2010-10-05T12:22:00.001-06:00

That's right, I finished my first crochet blanket just before my cousin's baby is due. Phew. As the Yarn Harlot puts it, there was a lot of "Black Hole" moments - those moments when you feel like you've put in the time, but the darn blanket doesn't appear to have grown at all. And then suddenly, it's done.

The yarn was Cascade 220 (on sale at my LYS). I've used Cascade before but this time, it felt like acrylic. Very strange.

The pattern was from a fabulous tutorial that very clearly demonstrated just how to turn at the end of a row - something I've never quite managed, which is why I prefer round doily shaped things. You can find the pattern and tutorial for the free Neat Ripple Pattern here.

I'll pack this little baby up and ship it off to my cousin before the big day. It will be perfect for a car seat blanket or stroller blankie.

Hello?

2010-09-30T22:02:00.000-06:00

If my knitting career had a soundtrack, it would go a little something like this:

I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again, how much I care

Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow

Hello?

I've just got to let you know
Cos I wonder where you are

And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely

Or is someone loving you
Tell me how to win your heart

For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying, I love you

-Hello by Lionel Ritchie

I love you yarn. Miss you.

Time for Fiber

2010-09-20T21:41:00.001-06:00

I have found a spare moment to crack out my latest project. It's late. Kids are sleeping, or faking it - either way, they're quiet and peaceful so I'm not going to check. And Mr. Man here is snoring away.

So I am listening to a book on my laptop with headphones and sneaking in a few inches of a baby blanket for my cousin.

True to my nature, the damn thing wasn't done in time for the baby shower on Sunday, so my sister added my name to her card and gift. (Thanks, Kage) That gesture ensured that I have three more weeks to finish before the baby is born - if all goes well. Notice the crochet needle? I feel like I'm committing a sin, cheating on my knitting needles, somehow. Doing something dirty. The needle is aluminum, too. Ick.

Thanks for your comments regarding the kids and their hectic schedule. There were those who commiserated and those who gently reminded me to appreciate these days before they're gone. Nice to have folks out there to nudge me along.

Happy knitting (or, shhhh, crocheting).

2010-09-17T21:15:00.002-06:00

I don't really have anything to share right now other than to tell you that I'm extremely irritable. I have been unable to touch my needles for some time now. I've simply been too busy running around like a squirrel with an overloaded backpack trying to cross the road during rush hour. No. Even better. I feel like I've been herding squirrels across a road in rush hour traffic. Yes. That's it.

Would anyone like to adopt three very busy little children or can I hire you as my personal assistant/driver and you can just take care of my kids and their commitments while I knit? Anyone? Anyone?

Hold onto your cowboy hats!

2010-09-11T07:25:00.001-06:00

Yep. Another FO. AND it's crocheted! Mwoo ha ha haaaa.

Just stand back and try not to inhale my dust, baby.

Green Crochet Doily Thing (aka this ain't your granny's doily)

Pattern: Spider Web Doily by Coats and Clark

Yarn: Knit Picks Felice "Green Veggies"

Hook: Can't remember. Something rather small.

This ditty of a doily is on its way to Texas to visit my good old buddy Tiffy. Let's call her Texas Tiffy to be cheeky. Bye, Doily. Have a nice time. And take pictures when you get there.

I have in-law family coming from Iceland on Sunday and I am supposed to be clearing a path from the front door to the dining room table. The plan is that I'll be organized enough to serve them dinner. I have also decided that now would be a good time to paint the living room, which also acts as our dining room. There are yellowish test spots all over and spackle covering up years of pockmarks left over from our Toddler War days.

So this obsession with finishing my yarn projects has really messed me up. That and the whole 'going back to work and spending my spare time as a cab driver for my children and their friends' is really putting a big blotch on my To Do list. I have exactly 34 hours (if I don't sleep) until the Icelandic "association" shows up on my cobweb infested front porch. Wish me luck.

Wait for it . . . wait for it . . .

2010-09-09T15:22:00.000-06:00

Hold your breath. No don't. That's not a healthy thing to do unless your diving for oysters or riding in the car with a couple of tweenage boys who have eaten nothing but hot dogs and grilled steaks with marshmallows for two days and have also decided to take off their shoes. But I digress . . .

I have a big announcement.

It's another FO. I know. "So soon?" you ask. Well. This here hat was started, oh, somewhere back in 2007. I finished the damn thing but never wove in the ends. My GOD, what is wrong with me? My middle kid, Lumpy, found it covered in dust and whatnot and demanded that he wear it to the cabin and then to school.

I let it go out the door this weekend atop his fair little head, watching those little yarny threads dangling about. I simply could not take it anymore. I chased the kid down, sewed those little varmints into the backside, WASHED, and blocked the darn thing. Presto - Finished Object!

Isn't it darling?

I named it "Lorraine Cap" because it was Lorraine that first dared me to get off my spreading tushy and try my hand at cables. Love them.

I think I may cast on for another in green. Hmmmm. I do have a few more UFO's to plow through first. Oh, but the temptation is strong, my friends. Very strong.

Pattern: Aran Watch Cap by Charlene Schurch
Plymouth Yarn Galway Worsted
US 7

Summer has left the building.

2010-09-07T13:38:00.001-06:00

Summer has quit. And she didn't even give us a two week notice. That explains why my children are either at school today dressed in shorts and t-shirts or pants that are so small and tight, they are sure to land my oldest in the geek-squad. Poor kid. Sorry.

In any case, Senora Autumn is on the job, blowing at my north facing windows and reminding me to turn up the knitting mojo.

True to my word, I am knocking off my old knitting projects.

Specs for Hubby's Boot Socks - this is his third pair - they've become a favorite. The yarn lasts a long time with a lot of wear.
yarn -

Järbo Garn Raggi Multi

needles - five

pattern - basic sock pattern

Just in time for fall outdoor adventures.

Is that the north wind I hear?

2010-09-03T08:11:00.001-06:00

Alright, alright. For all the yammering on about how much I love the heat of summer, there was something uplifting about waking up to 60 degrees and gray scuttling clouds. It's knittin' season.

Here's a crappy picture I took of the view from my pillow taken by my laptop (my laptop was sitting on my nightstand and the camera was way over there on my dresser - simply too far away).

Those clouds are moving fast. This is a good omen - I have those UFO's queued up - turns out there are more than eleven after I cleaned out my knitting bin, cupboard, bag, another bin, a couple of bags I found in my closet, a wad of project under my bed - you get the point. This weather is a sign that knitting will be productive this fall.

WIP's

2010-09-02T08:30:00.001-06:00

I heard an interesting expression lately: "A bloodhound can't catch a single rabbit if he's chasing eight rabbits at the same time."

There I was - over on Ravelry, organizing my projects, putting them in order of WIP (Works In Progress). This resulted in a shocking realization. I have eleven works in progress . . . ELEVEN. And most of them are 75% complete. Their almost done! What is going on here? I know I'm a procrastinator and a bit compulsive, but eleven UFO's (unfinished objects) seems a bit excessive, don't you think?

I publicly pledge to finish these 11 projects before I even THINK of starting something new. Here they are in no particular order.

Spider Web Doily

Small Shawl

Basic Boot Socks

Baby Cable Yoke Sweater

Baby Surprise Jacket

Central Park Hoodie

Baby Selbu Mitts

Luciole Mini-Shawl

Baby Wrap

Bunty Bunny Rabbit


Alan Dart Jultomtar's

2010-08-29T13:37:00.000-06:00

I have a few more pictures to share from our heritage tour of North Dakota.

I imagined that my knitting progress would be extensive while driving halfway across Minnesota and then North Dakota, but I was wrong. Despite the flatness of the country, I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of the open skies and the sweeping farmland.

The wheat was golden and most of it had been harvested, or was in the process of being harvested.

There were kids driving these combines (is that what their called). We were impressed with their responsibilities, once we were able to get the kids to tear their eyes from the video and i-pod games. I knew I should have been a farmer.

The only knitting occurred at our campsite on the first evening. We spent the night telling stories and performing campy skits.

But the morning was early and I had it to myself. So I set up camp on the picnic table and worked on my Luciole mini-shawl. The color is not impressing me, but the pattern is so cool.

We rented a little cabin within the camp grounds and had a good time playing "Little House on the Prairie" which, by the way, is an absolute staple of a book. . . even for boys. Get the book on CD and listen to it in the car for those boys who think it's too girly. Pa gets into a scrap with 50 wolves and you'll have the boys on the edge of their seats. Yeah, baby.

So off to another cemetery. Just outside of Upham, Nd (pronounced up-ham, thank you very much), is a dusty old Icelandic cemetery full of my relatives. The care and upkeep of the place is largely due to dedicated volunteers, including a 91 year old who we met and spoke to. He spoke an poem to us in Icelandic and choked up - so did we all. Not a dry eye in the bunch. He is one of the last of his kind. He was from a generation of children learning the English language for their parents and grandparents, assimilating into American history. He knew my grandfather when he was a boy.

This time to visit my great great great grandpa Jon "Postur" Magnusson. He was a mailman in Iceland.

And here lies my grandpa's little brother Norman "Buddy", who died from undiagnosed diabetes when he was 18 months old. Blessed family - only one of ten children to die in childhood. Boy, have we come a long way.

When my grandfather was nearing death, he said to my mother, "I'm ready to go. I miss my wife and I would really like to see Buddy again."

May they all rest in peace. Truly.

Where to begin

2010-08-25T10:15:00.006-06:00

This post will be long and will probably include a . . . to be continued . . .

For my 40th birthday, my husband and our parents organized a heritage tour of our Icelandic relatives.

We packed up the car this weekend and headed to the Great Plains in search of my relatives who traveled from Iceland in the 1870's and ended up in the most unlikely of places - North Dakota.

My great great grandmother traveled across this land in a covered wagon. The week long wagon trip took us two hours by car.

My relatives came marching, rowing and riding into the Dakota Territory just after the Battle of Little Big Horn - a victory for the Lakota and Cheyenne Indians, with 262 of the US 7th Calvary Regiment killed in battle, including Custer himself. The Sioux suffered the loss of 136 warriors.

Tensions were high on the Great Plains between 'the whites and the indians' and settlers moved across wild, lawless countryside at great risk to themselves and their families.

My relatives were mostly sheep farmers from the northwest and northeast parts of Iceland. They were not familiar with farming and were admittedly naive when it came to choosing the best parcels of land. Tall, lush grass growing on 160 acres looked good to the untrained eye until after moving into their sod shanties and realizing that the soil was mostly sand and growing crops would prove difficult.

They sustained themselves with diversified farming: chickens, pigs, milk cows, haying and sheep. My Amma (my great grandmother) taught my mother to knit. My mother remembers her always with her knitting, never looking down at her work, but visiting and going about her duties while all the time, knitting.

Knitting needles at the Icelandic Pioneer Museum, Cavalier, ND

My grandfather remembers never learning to knit, but remembers carding wool and spinning in his grandmother's home.

"A lesson in spinning and carding. Note the Icelandic spinning wheel" - Icelandic Pioneer Museum

Icelandic spinning wheel - Icelandic Pioneer Museum

Of course, when looking into the past, we tend to gravitate towards the experiences of our ancestors that most reflect our own. So for my children, the school house with its dunce cap and neatly aligned desks was a fascination. Where did they go to the bathroom? What did they do if it was snowing? Who kept the stove going? What games did they play?

Lunker said, "Raise your hand." Belle heard, "Raise your hair."

As a mother, I wonder how my great grandmother survived the death of 3 infants and a 4 year old daughter. How did she manage after her young husband was killed when he fell off the hay wagon and was crushed to death. How did she pass the winter months with the bodies of her children in the hen house, awaiting spring and enough warmth to thaw the earth so a proper grave could be dug.

Touching this not-so-distant past has always been emotional for me. I realize there is one historian in every family and I am most certainly that person.

Here I stand, at the center of the earth - with the sky and the wind and the grass around me. I can hear and feel and smell the past as if it were a past that I somehow experienced. Is this genetics? A past-life? Nostalgia? Or simply romantic notions of times gone by?

Close to "High Bank" farmstead - now gone to the ducks and geese of a wildlife refuge.

My Frog Toes

2010-08-18T21:50:00.000-06:00

I finished my toe-up socks, thanks to Chrissy Gardiner's Toe-Up book (thanks Gail!). My toes are too skinny, so next time I'll cast on more stitches for the start. Then, I tried the short row heel and the jury is still out on this one. Again, I think I made it too skinny and I didn't understand the overall construction until I was well under way, so I didn't add any texture to the heel, which I really do prefer. I think a slip-stitch heel lasts longer. . . . maybe not.

BUT, having said all this, the instructions for the short row were as clear as a bell, and the best part - written so that you can just plug in the numbers from your own pattern. At first, it looked like a horrible flashback to my 10th grade algebra class, but it really was a cinch. I think this book may become a knitting-bag staple.

I did not like the overall finish of these socks but I'll try it again before I give up. I need to tweak my style a bit. Widen the heel, widen the toe, add texture to the heel and I think I may really like this.

SHORT ROW PRO - YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK UP ANY GUSSET STITCHES!!! YEAH!

THE YARN: Knit Picks Felici in "Green Veggies" - nice soft, strong feeling yarn. I had two knots in one skein which was a big old bummer since I was trying to match up the stripes. Yes. It was tedious. But they match, so there! I loved the self-striping so much that the knots will not put me off. I'll buy this again. And you can't beat the price. $10 for a pair of socks!!

A Friend Who Knits

2010-08-17T09:24:00.002-06:00

This weekend was spent up north with some longtime friends and their beautiful children. We had a relaxing time spent swimming,

fishing,

and yes . . . knitting.

This is Mollie. She started knitting years ago, but it never seemed to click. You know what I mean - that obsessive gleam we get in our eyes when anyone mentions yarn or knitting. This weekend, she pumped out a baby sweater in record time and announced that she is now an obsessive knitter. It's all she wanted to do. She knit all day and into the evening. When she awoke, she picked up the knitting off the floor and continued before she even got out of bed. Atta girl.

I can't tell you how happy I was to have a companion that wanted to sit, knit and talk patterns and yarns all day. I was in heaven.

I surprised myself with my teaching skills, too. I felt like an old pro. Dropped stitch - no problem. Purled a row instead of knit - hand it here, I'll fix it up quick. Can't remember how to cast off? - I'll show you. The Debbie Bliss pattern was a bit tricky to read, but we managed to work through it and figure out our way up the sleeves.

What would be the perfect "Next Step" pattern? I want to suggest something a with a teeny tiny bit of challenge, and something that she can wear so she'll be more motivated to finish. Is the Clapotis too difficult? Too big? Do you have any suggestions?

I finished my green socks thanks to my new Toe-Up book, but they're soaking right now. I'm not sure about the short row heel, yet. I think I made it a bit too skinny. And my bind-off looks horrendous. I also made a bit of headway on my Luciole shawl. Pictures to come soon.

All in all, a very good weekend. Here's to more knitting!

ps. We would never have kept a fish that big - they need to go back in the water as breeders. (and they don't taste good at that size) However, this old walleye was netted off the dock as he floated by - apparently about to die of old age.

Spiraluscious!

2010-08-10T16:33:00.001-06:00

During a beautiful rainstorm, I was able to finish my Spiralucious by Anne Hanson and get my hubby to take a few photos. This is how important knitting is to me . . . he threw his back out, but he got up and took some pics for me anyway.

There was a nice package in the mail for me, too. A day full of knitting joy. I won a contest over at We Heart Yarn and she sent me a book and a beautiful photo card (she is the talented photographer) of the prettiest blue flowers.

All the specs are here on Ravelry.

The book is Chrissy Gardiner's Toe-Up! And it's just in time because I'm stuck on the heal of these green Happy Feet socks.

Thank you Neuroknitter for the wonderful prize!! I can't wait to dive into the book!

I. LOVE. SUMMER.

2010-08-08T08:58:00.000-06:00

I am trying to juice every last drop out of these warm days. The best part starts with a good sleep-in. It's 9:45.

Who's watching the kids? The good news: they are old enough to get themselves up, dressed and fed.

The bad news: the breakfast of choice means I'll have to eventually get out of bed and make them real food. This is Belle's potato-chips-on-a-bun breakfast. Mmmmmm.

Despite Minnesota's cold reputation, the summers are generally hot and steamy. You know the kind of humidity that turns your chip stale by the time it reaches your mouth.

So we're swimmin' with the kids and dog.

I'm also waging my annual garden war with the vermin. This year, I came up with a plan to protect my ripening tomatoes. And it has worked!

I slip ziploc baggies over the tomatoes that are starting to turn. At night I zip them closed and in the morning I zip them open but leave them on. The chipmunks and rabbits have decided they don't like the baggies. Tomatoes have been ripening on the vine! Last night we had a 2 pound Brandywine tomato for dinner with some mozzarella. I wish I could share it with you. Summer in a mouthful.

Of course, there is the knitting. This is Spiraluscious by Anne Hanson. The yarn is Wollmeise "Poison #5". It's a neck cowl and it knitted up faster than I thought. The hem threw me for a loop. In fact, there was a moment of tears. But I figured out my mistakes and forged ahead. I should have this blocking by tonight.

Until next time!

Veggies down the hatch!

2010-08-04T09:17:00.001-06:00

My kids ate cukes. It's true! We made this Cucumber chicken recipe for dinner last night and OH MY, was it delish.

We substituted our favorite curry powder for the cumin/mustard and instead of sour cream, I used plain yogurt. Oh, and doubled the garlic. Cooked cukes are fabulous! Who knew. Here's the proof that is was a Kid Friendly recipe.

That's not all. Just after the onslaught of cucumbers, the zucchini's made their timely assault.

But have no fear -

Zucchini Chocolate Cake is here and it is another great way to sneak in a pile of veggies into the unsuspecting and suspicious mouths of my kids. MWOO HA HA HAAAAAA. I told them about the zucchini after they helped themselves to seconds.

The recipe was from Of Faith and Fiber but she's out of town and I'm not sure where she got the original. So hopefully, I won't get into trouble if I share it with you here:

Chocolate Sneaky-Zucchini Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted

1/2 cup cocoa

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup soft butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons grated orange peel (we left this out and it was still fab)

2 cups grated/shredded zucchini - no need to peel or seed.

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped walnut or pecans (we skipped this too - kids, ya know.)

Glaze: (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

2. with a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended (Beat for a longer time and you'll have a fluffier cake). Add the eggs to the butter one at a time - mix well between. Gently mix in vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini.

3. Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.

4. Pour the batter into a greased and flour-dusted 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes (test at 45!). or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes: turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.

5. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Glaze: Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used almost extract). Beat until smooth.

Cut into thin slices. Serves 10-12 (generously).